The present invention relates to a passive seat belt for an automobile.
In an automobile A having a sashless door B and a seat C, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional passive seat belt 3 is anchored to a pole 2 which extends upwards from the rear top of an inner panel 1 of the door B, by an anchor 4 in its one end, and the other end of the passive seat belt 3 is rolled up on a retractor 5 which is disposed to a floor beside the seat C on the side opposite the door B.
In this embodiment, when the door B is opened, the belt 3 is moved frontward slightly. Hence, when a driver or a passenger gets into or out of the automobile, his breast or knee is contacted with or rubbed by the belt 3, which limits his motion and imparts an uncomfortable feeling. Further, since the frontward movement of the belt 3 depends on an opening angle of the door, in a narrow space where the door cannot be opened fully, the situation is worse.
In order to remove such defects and inconveniences of the conventional passive seat belt described above, another passive seat belt has been proposed, as shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the inner panel 1 is provided with the pole 2 in the same manner as described above, and a guide rail 7 running frontwards along the upper end of the inner panel 1 from the top of the pole 2. A movable anchor 6 which is connected to one end of the passive seat belt 3, is adapted to move frontwards along and in the guide rail 7 by means of a drive motor 8 arranged in the inner panel 1, and a geared wire 9 whose one end is connected to the movable anchor 6.
In this embodiment, when the one end of the passive seat belt 3 is moved frontwards along the guide rail 7, the belt 3 still contacts or rubs the femoral region or the knee of the driver or the passenger getting into or out of the automobile. Further, since the belt 3 is positioned in rather low position as compared with the pole 2 when it is positioned in the front end of the inner panel 1, when the belt 3 is put on, the belt 3 is apt to be fitted under the arm instead of the shoulder of the driver depending on his position.
Some means for locking the movable anchor 6 moving along the guide rail 7 at the fitting position of the belt 3 have been proposed.
In one example of the conventional locking means, a switch is turned on or off by opening or closing the door, and a solenoid valve is actuated by the switch. A locking pin or hook is connected to the solenoid valve. When the belt is put on, the anchor moving along the guide rail pushes the locking pin or hook, and as soon as the anchor passes through the locking pin or hook, the anchor is locked thereby. When the belt is released, the solenoid valve is actuated by the opening of the door to unlock the anchor by retracting the locking pin or hook which is actuated by the solenoid valve.
In this embodiment, the solenoid valve, the door switch, and so forth are necessary, and the locking means becomes complicated and large-sized, which means high cost and requires more space for mounting.
In another example of the conventional locking means, a locking pin is adapted to project into the guide rail so as to lock the anchor which is connected to and driven by the geared wire, and a little space is left between the anchor and the geared wire. An unlocking mechanism is provided between the locking pin and the geared wire as well as the anchor, and releases the locking between the locking pin and the anchor by the first motion of the geared wire prior to the start of the moving of the anchor.
In still another example of the conventional locking means, opening and closing movements of the door are transferred to a locking pin which projects into the guide rail, and the locking between the anchor and the appearance pin is released prior to the start of the moving of the anchor.
In these two embodiments described above, the locking means are complicated, and a small space is necessarily left between the anchor and the geared wire in order to ensure a short time before the start of the moving of the anchor. Further, a strict adjustment is required, such that the locking between the anchor and the locking pin may be released as soon as the door is opened.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, in a conventional passive seat belt, a trim member 11 is mounted to roof side rails such as outer and inner roof side rails 14 and 15 via a bracket 12 and screw bolts 13 and 16 in order to cover the guide rail 21 in which an anchor 22 is moved by a geared wire 23. The roof side rails 14 and 15 are covered by a roof panel 17, and between the roof side rails 14 and 15 and a door glass 19, a weather strip 18 is arranged in order to stop water or the like from coming in. A welt 20 is attached to the lower end of the inner roof side rail 15. The free end of the anchor 23 is connected to a shoulder belt 24 which is rolled up by a retractor 25 positioned on a floor beside a seat on the side opposite the door.
In this embodiment, however, the mounting parts are exposed to the inside of the compartment of the automobile, resulting in spoiling the appearence thereof. Then, it is intended to cover the mounting parts by a decorative trim member or the like, but the simple covering by the trim members results in its projection into the compartment of the automobile, which a disadvantage and inconvenience. Further, the opening 21a of the guide rail 21 which the anchor 23 is moved in and along, is open, and hence dust and trash, and so forth are apt to come in the guide rail 21. When the opening 21a of the guide rail 21 opens upward, this tendency becomes larger.
Further, in a conventional passive seat belt, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the belt 24 which is extended from the retractor 25 is moved along the guide rail 21 through the movable anchor 22, the guide rail 21 being mounted to the inner roof side rail 15. When a large load is placed on the anchor 22, while the belt 21 is put on, the anchor 22 is often bent in the sideway direction, or the side of the guide rail 21 is often bent outwards to open the opening 21a thereof, as shown by dotted lines in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the thickness of the anchor 22 is increased in order to prevent easy bending, its weight increases, its processing becomes difficult, and it requires a larger space. Further, since the anchor is so formed as to conform to the curved surface of the door or the roof side rail in order to obtain a wider space for the compartment, the shape of the anchor is readily changed when the large load is placed thereon.
In FIGS. 6 and 7, another embodiment of the conventional passive seat belt is shown, wherein a door B having a door sash 26 and a door glass 27, is pivotally mounted to a pillar 28, and a seat C is provided. A guide rail 29 is mounted to a side sill 30, and one end of a wrap belt 31 is connected to a movable anchor 32 and the other end of the wrap belt 31 is rolled up by a retractor 33. The movable anchor 32 is moved along and in the guide rail 29 by a geared wire 34. In this embodiment, the problems similar to those of the above described embodiment are raised.